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London woman reads about plight of Chatham family after fire

Jenna Larocque, left, helps Jayce-Lynne Primeau with the dress-up lipstick bought by Larocque and her sister Janette Cameron. Cameron, of London, organized a fundraising dance for the Primeau family who lost everything in a fire in January 2012. PHOTO TAKEN Chatham, on Tuesday February 05, 2013. DIANA MARTIN/ THE CHATHAM DAILY NEWS/ QMI AGENCY

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Janette Cameron may not wear a Santa suit, but she sure knows how to make a Christmas wish come true.

The London woman was moved to action when she read about eight-year-old Modestie Primeau carrying her two-month old sister Braylee while ushering her other sister, Serenity, 7, out of their burning house Jan. 5.

Cameron contacted the Barber-Primeau family through the Chatham Daily News and organized a fundraising dance Saturday that raised $1,543.43 to replace the children's Christmas gifts.

“It's not just Christmas,” said Cameron. “It's giving them back everything they lost.”

Cameron enlisted the help of her family, including sister Jenna Larocque, who helped organize the dance and their mother who sewed a replica blanket for two-year-old Jayce-Lynne.

The toddler was devastated by its loss in the fire.

It was the one thing mother Lisa Barber was unsure she'd ever be able to replace.

Barber was moved to tears when Jayce-Lynne squealed “Ducky” with delight as the hand-made blanket was unwrapped.

Cameron and Larocque arrived Tuesday at the family's new home on Alexandra Avenue with bags of gifts in all sizes and shapes.

“I was expecting just the two things, not a whole whack of things,” said Barber about the new PlayStation and PS Vita for the children.

Cameron and Larocque also made sure there was a new crib to go with the mattress they brought and some money left over for Barber to buy things the family still needed.

Barber, who met the women at the dance Saturday, said it feels as though they have been friends for years.

She can't get over how much people have done for her family since the fire.

Their new landlord left dressers and beds for the girls, along with a TV when they moved in at the end of January.

She said the community has been overwhelming in its generosity.

“Just thanks a lot for all the help,' said Barber. “Especially to the London people, Janette, Nadine (Sutherland) and Jenna.”

Cameron surprised Barber one last time with a gift of a camera. The young mother had just said how upset she was to lose her camera in the fire.

“All this is just money,” said Cameron, waving towards the gifts. “The stuff in there (camera) are memories. You can replace all this, you can't replace them being little girls and all those memories of them growing up.”